Isaiah 10:19

10:19 There will be so few trees left in his forest,

a child will be able to count them. ¹ 

Isaiah 10:22

10:22 For though your people, Israel, are as numerous as ²  the sand on the seashore, only a remnant will come back. ³  Destruction has been decreed; ⁴  just punishment ⁵  is about to engulf you. ⁶ 

¹ tn Heb “and the rest of the trees of his forest will be counted, and a child will record them.”

² tn Heb “are like.”

³ sn The twofold appearance of the statement “a remnant will come back” (שְׁאָר יָשׁוּב, she’ar yashuv) in vv. 21-22 echoes and probably plays off the name of Isaiah’s son Shear-jashub (see 7:3). In its original context the name was meant to encourage Ahaz (see the note at 7:3), but here it has taken on new dimensions. In light of Ahaz’s failure and the judgment it brings down on the land, the name Shear-jashub now foreshadows the destiny of the nation. According to vv. 21-22, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that a remnant of God’s people will return; the bad news is that only a remnant will be preserved and come back. Like the name Immanuel, this name foreshadows both judgment (see the notes at 7:25 and 8:8) and ultimate restoration (see the note at 8:10).

⁴ tn Or “predetermined”; cf. ASV, NASB “is determined”; TEV “is in store.”

⁵ tn צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah) often means “righteousness,” but here it refers to God’s just judgment.

⁶ tn Or “is about to overflow.”